TREATMENT OF CONSUMPTIVES.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14656, 9 March 1918, Page 4

TREATMENT OF CONSUMPTIVES.

CONFERENCE OF HOSPITAL BOARDS.

PRO^?SAL TO JOIN CASHMERE HILLS'SCHEME REJECTED.

A conference of representatives of «? sp«tal and charitable aid boards in the South Island north of tie Waitakr nver was held yesterday to consider proposals to extend the benefits of the bas&mere Hills sanatorium for consumptives to these hospital districts. lhe_ proposal to form a combined disS Cbu^ aBSrd mitted b-V tk6 N°rtb Can-

r twS TT'fT Messrs-T- Neale > M^ D ,' J- Williams (BuUer) Was ex. CU^ d ' x! S°, Mr- G- 0 (kelson); Mr. Neale, who was voted to the chair, explained the reasons for the holding of the conference. He said tie iNelson Board had a proposal to establish a sanatorium at Cable Bay and otner boards might also have proposals «> make. He said that the property had beeD owned hy the Eastern Extension Company, and the Government had asked what purpose ft could be put to and the suggestion lad been made that it could be used for a consumptive sanatorium. There were nianv points m favour of Cable Bay as a consumptive home. If the representatives present were favourable to the proposal, they could go out and visit the site in regly to a question, the chairman said tno property was now owned by tne Government.

Mr. 0 Itegan moved that each board select two sites in its own district, and that a Government inspector be askea to mspect and report on same. 1-w. thought a site on a high altitude would be preferable to Cable Bay Mr. Cony thougtt the motion premature, and he suggested that Mr. U _Legan might postpone it. He considered that the conference should first consider the North Canterbury proposal. He did not consider that the boards, at they adopted the propoasl, would get adequate compensation for tteir expenditure. No doubt when the Utira tunnel was completed the Cashmere Hills proposal would be of real benefit to the West Coast people. He hoped that the-delegates present woUol vote solidly against the Cashmere Hills proposal. (Hear, hear.) The Waira* Board had an open mind about tie site and would support CaTble Bay, Maruia Ibpnngs, Picton, or any site that was considered the most suitable. Mr. Riddell said that an argument against the Cashmere Hills proposal ttas its distance—it was too far away. He was of opinion that there should be a home in some part of the northern portion of the South Island. He considered that the Cashmere Hills proposal would be an expensive one, as each board would have to pay its quota whether the beds were occupied or not. He, considered the boards could look after tteir own patients better than if they were sent to Ckristchurch. Mr. O'Regan said he believed most of the boards were against the Cashmere ( Hills proposal. He was also of opinion that another ■ sanatorium was required in the nortb part of the island. In reply to Mr. Corry,. the chairman said the number of patients depended u,pon the scope of the institution. Mr. Macmahon thought that if tho buildings at Cable Bay were suitable for the staff, shelters could be erected for the patients. He thought it might be a suitable place, 'iiie Maruia Springs were in a healthy locality, but the great disadvantage was the difficulty in getting there. Mr. O'Regan said they were easily accessible from Reefton.

The chairman then moved: "That the delegates present are not prepared to support the North Canterbury Board's proposal." \

Mr. Macmahon seconded the motion.

Mr. Corry, in supporting the motion, said he could not support the Cashmere Hills proposal. He did not know that Cashmere Hills was a suitable site for coii-

sumptives. He thought the Maruia Springs in their present primitive state were out of the question. Mr. Fell did not consider the Cashmere Hills proposal would suit outside boards. The" boards, if they went into it, woul3 not only have to pay for the administrative block and new shelters, but would also hare to pay for tte present buildings. Moreover, the Cashmere Hills would not take patients in the late stages of the disease, and therefore the boards would still have to provide for these. He was strongly against the proposal. Mr. Riddell said that persons suffering from the disease in the early stages would not go to a home were there were patients in an advanced stage. He asked what they were going to do with the patients in the bad stages. The chairman: I don't know.

Mr. Corry said that as the Cashmere Hills only dealt -with patients in the early stages, the boards would have to look after the others. The motion was carried unanimously.

The chairman said that the suggestion as to Cable Bay had not been arrived at hurriedly. Dr. Jamieson and other medical men were very favourable to the proposal. (An oflioial of the Health Department had also said that th(v site had mueb.to recommend it ; _ The delegates then decided to .(.visit Cable Bay, end the conference adjoined- until two o'clock. After an inspection of.the property and buildings at Cable Bay, the conference continued on the ground, when the following resolutions were carried: — On the motion of Mr Corry, seconded: by Mr Riddell, it was resolved that, in the opinion of this conference, each board should bo represented^ at the conference convened by the North Canterbury Board at Christchurch on March 26th. On the motion of Messrs Riddell and. Win, it was resolved that the incipient and graver cases of consumption should, be treated at separate institutions. On the motion of Messrs Corry and Fell, it was resolved that the graver case's of consumption in the northern districts of the South Island should bo treated at Cable Bay, provided the ground and buildings could be procured From the Government on reasonable terms, and that the chairman of the Nelson Heard be empowered to enter into negotiations with the Government for their purchase. On the motion of Messrs Iliddell and Q'Regan, it was resolved that the boards represented at the Nelson conference appoint a medical man to report on a site for an institution to deal with incipient casos, such medical man to be requested to obtain reports from medical officers in ouch district concerned. On the motion uf Messrs OMiegan and Corry. that each board submit to the mec'.icai oificer appointed a suggested site or sites, and that lie be requested to report as to which He considers the most suitable for incipient cases. On the motion or Messrs Corry and Fell, it was resolved that Dr. Val'mtine ■be asked to report on the suitability of jthe sices submitted, and, failing him, that Dr. Frengley !;e approached, j A vote of thanks to the chairman" (Mr Neale), proposed by Mr Corry and seconded by Mr O'Regan, concluded jthe conference,